Five Government Departments Mobbed In Hugely Successful Day of Action By and For Disabled People

Another hugely successful day of action organised by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) took place today targeting five government departments and ending with a mass lobby of Parliament.

At lunchtime disabled protesters and supporters began to gather outside four government building, all of which are culpable for creating the vicious regime that currently exists for disabled people. Crowds of people met outside the departments of Health, Education, Transport and Climate Change to protest against soaring heating bills, increased segregation in education, inaccessible and unaffordable public transport and cuts to social care budgets and healthcare.

At the Department of Education several people briefly blocked the door as a request was made for people to be allowed entry, or for a Minister to come and address the protest which focused on the increasing segregation of disabled children in foundation schools in particular. Shamefully not one person from the Department of Education could be bothered to come to the front door, although after a tense stand off three people were allowed inside to deliver a list of demands.

Then the protest moved off to the DWP, where all four groups converged resulting in a large crowd of up to 200 people outside the home of Iain Duncan Smith’s brutal and bungled welfare reforms. Speakers from Inclusion, DPAC, Winvisible, Black Triangle, UK Uncut, the TUC and many more addressed the crowd whilst a washing line was tied to the lamp-posts and festooned with underpants for Iain Duncan Smith to help him cut down this year’s expenses claim. Other groups present included transport union TSSA, Mad Pride, #wowpetition, Transport for All and many local DPAC and other disabled people’s groups.

This protest was almost a year to the day that DPAC, UK Uncut and Anti-Atos protesters occupied and shut down the DWP building for an afternoon. This year the DWP were taking no chances with a heavy security presence closing down the front of the building and staff being ushered in and out by the back door.

Finally the protest moved to Parliament for a mass lobby, with a packed meeting expected to launch the DPAC Disabled Persons Manifesto.

This was the final day of DPAC’s week of action, which had previously seen the BBC blockaded in response to their disgraceful portrayal of disabled people and slavish support of Iain Duncan Smith’s endless lies about benefit claimants. The BBC chose not to cover that protest and so far has also ignored today’s events, preferring instead to give air time to the extremist Tax Payer’s Alliance call for mass workfare for everyone unemployed or on sickness or disability benefits.

There is a long way to go in the struggle against welfare reforms, inclusion and access for all disabled people, and the saving of the welfare state. But today was the largest central London protest in a long time by disabled activists and the call for further action, but within and outside of the law, was unanimous amongst those present. They will fight us every step of the way, but we can take back this country and reclaim the futures of everybody who has had their lives destroyed by this Government.

For the latest news and details of actions from DPAC visit their website at: http://dpac.uk.net/

Fantastic unfortunately i wa s unable to get there but this is what we need to stand up to cameron and IDS,Hobarn who couldnt arrange a piss up in a brewery!! Genocide i call it and look what happened to Saddam hus ! GREAT WORK TEAM I APPLUADE YOU!

I have not seen any reports on television by the BBC or on the sky freeview news channel. They seem to have time to mention cliff richard and other unimportant issues but nothing about how the cuts are affecting people. The protests should be reported on to at least inform the general public what is really happening.

Thanks. I didn’t think they would report this. They aren’t interested in how disabled people, or anyone else for that matter, are being treated by this government. Even those committing suicide out of despair, are being ignored. I really threw the BBC complaints into a fit, when I told them of Mrs. Bottrill, who jumped under a lorry, recently.
Now add Isobelle, a disabled french girl who ( no Coroner’s report yet) hanged herself, after being told that her benefits were to be stopped.
Waiting for the Coroner to confirm.
RIP Isobelle, of Glastonbury, Somerset.

Written statement by Dr Vanessa Gearson, 16 October 2003.
In the matter of the investigation into the employment of Betsy Duncan Smith:

[there was] “widespread concern that Mr Duncan Smith was not paying for his own personal expenses—which included his lunches, haircuts, food for his own home, a mirror for his flat, his laundry and the purchase of underwear.”

Make him go without all the listed items for five years, and preferably also make him sleep in a skip. IDS is a benefit scrounging scum.

Tax Payers Alliance: swivel-eyed rabid gits. Give them a 1-way trip in a time machine to 1930s Germany. And see how soon it is before they are rounded up, put in camps, forced into slave labour, or gassed for a ‘physical imperfection’.

All of these eejits: Their policies would be much more believable/sincere if first their policies were implemented on those proposing them. Themselves.

And the first day they are too sick to go in or too sick to carry on working, they lose all their income and get thrown on the street.

It was great to meet so many fellow ‘extremists’ today – It was a great day and I am so proud of everybody who took part. sad to see nothing on the news but they did find room for some git from the Taxpayers Alliance.

Well done to everyone taking part in these protests. More power to you! Pity the only reporting on these brave people is not in the media. We have to learn about it on these blogs, social networks, etc. What will happen when the new Transparency of Lobbying Bill……moves the goalposts?

Well done everyone who protested today with DPAC. How disgusting this is not getting reported on the news, Oh I wonder why then? The government do not want the general public to know about the shady dealings they are dishing out to disabled people. They want to keep the public in the dark. Well the TRUTH is getting out there now. How dare they ignore disabled people after the abuse and atrocities. DPAC’s voices are not going to be silenced.

Perhaps the organisers of protests could shame the BBC into coverage of these events by getting in touch with the likes of Press TV and RT. Both are paid for by their governments, so do tend to have an agenda that undermines our government, and normally I’d be wary of them, (as in ten foot barge pole) but they would be more likely to report anything detrimental to our present government. There is also Al Jazeera who have been criticised by our government for being ‘pro Al Qaeda’ (though in reality just reporting the news impartially). Many people watch these news channels on TV nowadays, and whilst I’d be wary of the agendas behind them, (but no more than I would be wary of the BBC) as they are, apart from Al Jazeera, funded by a government.

Perhaps the BBC could be persuaded to start covering the real news by a widespread non payment of the licence fee in protest over their biassed reporting of the news, or their non-coverage of important news?

BBC Scottish News today,ran a extremely news worthy and important peice on school toilets, thankfully now I might get a good nights sleep, knowing now that the nation has been made aware of this compelling news.

I was told by the food bank, which usually has zero food in it, that I can’t join the waiting list for consideration for distribution of potential/notional food (so glad they’ve gone for the zero calorie healthy option!!!), unless I am referred by the JCP.
I asked the JCP to refer me, after I’d been without food 5 days.
The JCP refused to refer me.

I travelled a long way to a new one run by the lovely and caring Trussell Trust. Explained the situation. They said they had food, but would not be giving me a single calorie of it. Reason: I live in the wrong area. I pointed out I’d tried all the ones in my area and all, those with food and those without food, had refused to help. Result: Trussell Trust said they would not help and I could consider that as the same answer from all their other food banks, which is most of the ones in existence.

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